Box-fastener



(No ModeL) -J. W. & O. A. MYERS.

BOX FASTENBR.

Patent ed Nov. 16

NITED STAT S,

ATENT FFlCE.

JOIIN IV. MYERS AND CLARENCE A. MYERS, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

BOX-FASTEN ER. 7

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 593,753, dated November 16, 1897.

Application filed AugustBO, 1897.

To alZ whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN W. MYERS and CLARENCE A. MYERS, citizens of the United States, residing at Quincy, in the county of Adams and State of Illinois, have invented certainnew and useful Improvementsin Box- Top Fasteners; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon. v

This invention relates to improvements in fasteners for the lids or tops of boxes, crates, &c., and is especially designed for fastening the trays of egg-crates5 and it has for its object to provide a fastening or look whereby thetray or lid. may be locked at different points of adjustment within the box or crate.

To these ends the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described, and the particular features of novelty pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan View of a lid or tray provided with our invention, the device being shown in locked position; Fig. 2, a similar view, the device being in unlocked position. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 00 00, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on the line 'y y, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the same parts.

As illustrated, the letter A indicates the lid or tray of an egg-shipping crate B, which tray fits snugly within the crate. The improved lock or fastener for the lid consists of a piece of wire of suitable size and weight, which is bent or doubled at or near its middle, forming the substantially parallel portion or legs 0 C, and then continued and bent over to form the handle D. The ends of the wire are bent at substantially right angles to the doubled portion and are carried in opposite directions, forming the arms D D, which are preferably pointed and pass through transverse apertures in the cleats E E, secured to the lid at each side.

Pivoted on the lid so as to swing horizontally is a locking lever or arm F, having an enlarged head or cam projection G at one Serial No. 649,988. (No model.)

end lying between the legs 0 G of the wire. This head, it will be noted, is wider in one direction than in the other, being preferably elliptical in shape, and is formed with overhanging ears or lugs g g, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. The lever-arm is also provided with a locking stud or projection f, made preferably by striking up the metal of which the arm is formed.

The operation will now be understood. The tray having been placed within the crate with the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, the lever-arm is thrown to the position shown in Fig. 1. By this operation the ,legs 0 C will be spread apart by the head G, thus forcing the arms D D outward in opposite directions and causing the pointed ends to penetrate into the sides of the boX or crate and hold the lid at the desired place. When the lever-arm is thrown to this locked position, the overhanging lugs will ride over and press upon the legs 0 O and hold them down and prevent the liability of their being turned up, the projection on the lever-arm passing under and lying between the legs preventing the lever from swinging out sidewise. To unlock the lid, it is only necessary to swing the leverarm to either side until the head lies with its greater width parallel with the legs 0 0, when v the wire by its resiliency will resume normal position and the points of the arms D D will be withdrawn from contact with the box. The lid may then be removed by the handle D.

The device, it will be seen, is simple, can be easily and readily applied, and yet constitutes an efiectual fastening, not being easily unlocked except when desired.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with an adjustable boxcover, of a fastener formed of a single piece of wire having the oppositely-extending locking-arms, and central doubled portion, a locking-lever having an enlarged head, Working between the legs of the doubled portion, whereby they may be spread; substantially as described.

2. The combination with an adjustable boxcover, of a fastener formed of a single piece of wire, having the oppositely extending pointed arms for penetrating the receptacle,

and a central doubled portion, a horizontallypivoted lever having the head wider in one direction than in the other, lying between the legs of the doubled portion, whereby when the lever-head is turned with its wider portion at right angles to said legs, they will be spread apart and the arms caused to penetrate the receptacle; substantially as described.

3. The combination in an adjustable boxcover or the like, of a fastener formed of a single piece of wire bent to form the central doubled portion and oppositely-extending arms, and a lever having an enlarged head lying between the legs of the doubled portion,

lVitnesses:

E. C. DICKHUT, L. E. EMnoNs, Jr. 

